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As Mayor Megan Barry's administration nears a decision on the future of Greer Stadium, the move to explore private development for the Metro-owned site — and the closed-door process to pick a developer — is facing criticism from a top member of the Metro Council.

As Mayor Megan Barry's administration nears a decision on the future of Greer Stadium, the move to explore private development for the Metro-owned site — and the closed-door process to pick a developer — is facing criticism from a top member of the Metro Council.

Meanwhile, a national advocacy group for the equal justice of African-Americans has raised alarm about redeveloping a site that is believed to house perhaps hundreds of graves of former slaves who helped build adjacent Fort Negley during the Civil War.

A seven-member review committee, whose members have been kept secret, met Monday afternoon to begin reviewing five redevelopment proposals for the site. Citing state procurement guidelines, Metro did not make the meeting public, and The Tennessean was not allowed entry.

Metro won't release details on the proposals, or identify the developers that have been selected as final candidates, until a contract is awarded under those same state guidelines. A timetable for a final decision hasn't been released.

The city's process for competitive bidding, which is outlined by state law, is identical to the approach that Metro has taken in the past for the redevelopment of city-owned property that is deemed "surplus." That includes the former downtown Nashville Convention Center, which is now pegged for a massive mixed-use development.

'A deep question'

But the council's Budget and Finance Committee Chairman John Cooper is crying foul that this same process is being applied to Greer.

He said that's because the Greer Stadium site has not been declared surplus — a definition that, according to Metro codes, is designated for property that is "no longer needed or suited for its purposes."

Cooper, a regular critic of land deals and incentives proposed by the mayor's office, raised concerns in a letter to the council Saturday. He said just because Greer Stadium might be determined to be "no longer needed," the same isn't true for the dirt beneath it.

"Without designating the Fort Negley/Greer Stadium property as 'surplus' and 'no longer needed' by Nashville, the surplus property procedure cannot lawfully be used to award private commercial development rights to this property in any form," Cooper wrote.

"How is it that we're in this secret process in the first place?" Cooper said in an interview with The Tennessean. "This property is a heritage jewel for Nashville. ... And how it is 'up' for a development award is a deep question."

In a statement, Barry spokesman Sean Braisted said the process to select a proposal has not been secretive and has been "public for months and has been reported on numerous times in the media."

The request for the bids was based on community input, Braisted said.

“The procurement process is confidential to ensure fairness, not secrecy," he said in a statement. "This is standard operating procedure and good government policies at work.

“Most importantly, this is just one step in the process, which ultimately requires approval by the parks board and Metro Council before anything can be developed on the Greer Stadium site.”

Braisted did not address Cooper's point about Greer Stadium not being surplus property.

Greer Stadium, Nashville's former home of minor league baseball, was vacated by the Nashville Sounds in 2014. The parks department has recommended the deteriorating stadium be demolished, creating new development opportunities for a fast-growing area south of downtown.

Metro opened up bids from developers in January for the stadium's 21-acre site, requesting that developers include green space and affordable housing in their proposals.

Area's councilman has faith in process, community input

Metro's formal request for quotations asks that publicly accessible green space be the “focal point of the development” and to provide connections to nearby greenways and the parks system. Other objectives Metro outlined for the makeover include bringing new retail to the area; creating a design that is sensitive to Fort Negley; drawing neighbors into the revamped area; and limiting Metro’s financial participation.

In response to Cooper's criticism, Councilman Colby Sledge, whose district includes the property, pointed to a series of well-attended community meetings that were held on the future of Greer Stadium last year. He said input from those meetings steered the language in Metro's request for quotations for the site.

Although members of the review committee are not public, Sledge said the panel has "more community representation than any such committee has ever had." He said the panel includes representatives from the Wedgewood-Houston and Edgehill neighborhoods as well as an ally of Fort Negley.

"This whole process has been one that I have tried to ensure is driven primarily by the feedback from the community and community representatives," Sledge said.

"Councilman Cooper and I disagree on some fundamental issues, but we are having ongoing conversations about how to ensure that this process continues to be community-driven. This is one of those things that Metro handles, and I have confidence in our purchasing department that they've followed all the right guidelines."

Even after the review committee delivers an intent to award a contract, any proposal for the site would require approval from the Metro parks board and council.

'Radically premature' to hire developer, group says

One developer who has submitted a proposal, Devinder Sandhu, has pitched a plan for the Greer site called Nashville Adventure Park that would combine luxury apartments and affordable housing, townhomes, a farmers market and a hotel. A group led by Chip Cruze, owner and operator of the Nashville Baseball Academy, has proposed a youth baseball complex.

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Mrs. Herschel Greer, left, and daughter unveil a plaque dedicating the Nashville Sounds baseball stadium to the late Herschel Greer May 18, 1978. The dedication took place prior to the game. Frank Empson / The Tennessean

Three members of the new Nashville Sounds get their first view of the Herschel Greer Memorial Stadium April 13, 1978, which is under construction at Ft. Negley Park and will be the new home of the Double-A Sounds. First baseman George Weicker, left, pitcher Larry Rothschild and second baseman Randy Davidson are the first players to tour the facility. Dale Ernsberger / The Tennessean

Workmen install the infield sod at Herschel Greer Stadium April 25, 1978 in anticipation of the home opener between the Nashville Sounds and Savannah Braves. The workers are still working on the stadium as well as fixing up the poles to hold the net behind home plate. Dale Ernsberger / The Tennessean

A portion of the record crowd of 10,827 watches the Nashville Sounds in action at Greer Stadium June 9, 1978. The Sounds scored a run with two out in the bottom of the 11th for a 3-2 victory over Columbus Astros. Frank Empson / The Tennessean

Part of more than 1,000 Nashville Sounds fans cheer for the players' wives as they come out of the dugout to congratulate their husbands on winning the Southern League title during a after season party at Greer Stadium Sept. 11, 1979. Frank Empson / The Tennessean

Nashville Sounds manager Stump Merrill, right, and his team heads to the dugout for the start of their exhibition game with David Lipscomb College at Greer Stadium April 8, 1980. Robert Johnson / The Tennessean

Nashville Sounds Kenny Baker, left, passes the time chatting with Soundette Shawn Williams, who hurried off moments later to sweep the bases in their game against Chattanooga at Greer Stadium Aug. 17, 1980. Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean

The standing room crowd watches the Nashville Sounds game against Columbus from the outfield walls Aug. 18, 1982. The crowd of 22,315 set a new Greer Stadium and Southern League record. Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean

Members of the Nashville Sounds celebrate the Southern League championship after a 13-inning 5-3 victory over Jacksonville before 4,106 fans at Greer Stadium Sept. 11, 1982. Bruce Cooter / For The Tennessean

A helicopter hovers over the Greer Stadium home plate area, attempting to dry it following a sudden thundershower June 11, 1984. A large crowd was on hand for the Nashville Sounds game with Knoxville, which the famous Chicken was to make an appearance. J.T. Phillips / The Tennessean

The American flag parachutes in by a skydiving team at the Nashville Sounds first game in Triple-A baseball April 11, 1985. They downed the Buffalo Bisons 3-1 in their American Association opener at Greer Stadium. Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean

The Nashville Sounds placed an ad in the Aug. 18, 1984 issue of the Tennessean to promote The Famous Chicken's last appearance for the year in their game with the Birmingham Barons at Greer Stadium. The Tennessean

The Chicken, standing on the dugout, performs in front of the crowd at Nashville Sounds game against Iowa at Greer Stadium July 22, 1986. The largest crowd of the year at 13,880 came to see the Chicken. Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean

The first three pieces of the guitar-shaped scoreboard is going up at Greer Stadium for the start of Nashville Sounds 1993 season March 6, 1993. The scoreboard was manufactured by the Fairtron Corporation and is being installed by Joslin Sign Company. Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean

Frank Wright puts the finishing touches on a Greer Stadium walkway March 27, 1996 in preparation for the upcoming seven Major League Baseball exhibition games to be played at the stadium. Ricky Rogers / The Tennessean

The Renfro family, from left to right, Danny, 17-months, Jeannine, Marty, 4, and Doug, all of Goodlettsville, enjoy some snacks as they watch the Nashville Sounds take on the Iowa Cubs at Greer Stadium July 19, 2004. Sanford Myers / The Tennessean

The Nashville Sounds run out on the star-spangled field of Greer Stadium that was decorated for the Fourth of July weekend during their game against the Memphis Redbirds July 2, 2005. Doug Keese / The Tennessean

Grounds keeper Shawn Moore, left, puts a conditioner on the mound as his co-workers Steve Hamilton, right, and Richard Hawkes work in preparation for a home opener at Greer Stadium April 13, 2006. Jae S. Lee / The Tennessean

Nashville Sounds fan Rick Hardtkey cheers as players are introduced before the start of the team's 2006 home opener against the Oklahoma Redhawks at Greer Stadium April 14, 2006. Jae S. Lee / The Tennessean

Jeiel Ballard, 13, Zachary Hutchinson, 10, and his parents Tammy and Matt Hutchinson follow a foul ball during a Nashville Sounds game against the Iowa Cubs at Greer Stadium May 30, 2006. Mandy Lunn / The Tennessean

Mike and LeAnn Henson of Brentwood smooch at a snow-covered Greer Stadium Feb. 2, 2007. The couple, who met while playing ball at Tennessee Tech, got married at Greer in 1988. Steven S. Harman / The Tennessean

Jose Macias, left, sprays a hose in the face of teammate Andy Abad as the Sounds celebrate winning the PCL American Conference Northern Division championship at Greer Stadium August 26, 2007. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

Nashville Sounds third baseman Jason Rogers makes his way across the field before the start of their second game of a double header against the Fresno Grizzlies at Greer Stadium Aug. 21, 2014. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

Bryan Stevenson, executive director of Montgomery, Ala.-based Equal Justice Initiative, raised his group's concerns in a letter to Barry on Thursday. He pointed to the graves of former slaves on the site. He also called it "radically premature" to hire a developer for the Greer Stadium site, noting that a landscape plan for Fort Negley won't be finished until next year.

"Nashville has a rare opportunity to add another signature park, on the scale of Centennial Park that would honor and instruct future generations about our struggle for freedom," Stevenson wrote.

"Given all that is at stake for the African-American community, only a deliberate and transparent process can hope to weigh the significance of this heritage site against the urge to develop it."

Zada Law, an archaeologist, historian and director of the Geospatial Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, discussed the history of the site in a letter to Barry on March 23. She said while Metro's pitch to developers for proposals mentioned the historical sensitivity of Fort Negley, it failed to include information about the historic significance of the portion of Fort Negley Park occupied by the stadium and the stadium's parking.

She said Fort Negley Park, which includes the Greer site, was established in 1928 and was purchased by the city from descendants of Judge John Overton of Travellers' Rest. Works Progress Administration workers restored the fort between 1935 and 1941. Law cited park board records that say the Overton tract was purchased "for the purpose of establishing and construction of a public park."

"Parkland is still a precious resource today, and I urge the city not to trade off the existing and historic land in Fort Negley Park land for development as the RFQ proposes," she wrote.